No entry fee payable for Monte Carlo crews

The Automobile Club de Monaco has announced that entry fees for the 79th Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo from 19-21 January, 2011, will be free of charge for all 100 competitors that are accepted for the opening round of next season’s Intercontinental Rally Challenge.

As part of the celebrations for the event’s centenary, the ACM has decided to offer this exceptional incentive to encourage amateur drivers to register.

“Today we are very happy to confirm that entry fees will be waived,” said René Isoart, the ACM General Commissioner. “Our aim is to encourage many amateur drivers to return and participate in the Monte Carlo Rally. They are the bedrock on which this event and its history have been built. We will soon be announcing further initiatives to encourage amateurs.”

The final route of the 79th running of the rally has also been drawn up and is based entirely on historical routes with famous locations selected from the rally’s earliest days.

“The route of the centenary rally was put together from historical routes,” Isoart explained. “Professionals, knowledgeable amateurs and rally fans have often heard of these legendary locations. And so it has been a great pleasure for us to bring them all together in one event. Civil and police authorities in all the departments covered – Ardèche, Drôme, Haute-Loire, Alpes de Hautes Provence, Hautes Alpes, and, of course, Alpes Maritimes – were all involved, as well as many others without whom this great event would have been quite impossible. We would also like to thank the Federation Française du Sport Automobile, for their assistance in sporting matters.”

The first day of the event, Wednesday 19 January, will be based entirely in Ardèche and comprise four stages: Le Moulinon – Antraigues (36.87 kilometres), Burzet – St Martial (41.06 km) and St Bonnet – St Bonnet (25.22 km), which will be run twice.

Thursday 20 January will take place in the department of Drôme, and will be the shortest day, with two stages, St Jean en Royans – 3-road intersection (23.01 km) and Vassieux cemetery – Col de Gaudissart (24.13 km) run twice.

Friday 21 January will be the longest day of the rally and, according to the organisers, probably the most thrilling. Drivers leave early in the morning from Valence and drive to Monaco via the traditional Montauban sur l’Ouveze – Eygalayes stage, which measures 29.89 km. Upon arrival in Monaco, cars will enter the parc fermé area prior to the final night-time stages, which feature two passes of the famous Col du Turini: Moulinet – La Bollene-Vesubie (23.41 km) and Lantosque – Luceram (18.81 km). The two passes of each stage will be separated by a service halt in Monaco.